Woman arrested in string of Armstrong fires

An arrest has been made in connection with a handful of arson fires in Armstrong.

Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP were sent Monday just before 9 p.m. to assist the Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department, who were on-scene at two suspected arson fires, both in the 3000 block of Okanagan Street in Armstrong.

Police responded and found a set of tires had been lit on fire beside a garage at one home, and a back deck at another home located down the street. Both fires were extinguished prior to extensive damage being done.

While responding to those two calls, police quickly learned that another alleged arson had just occurred in the 2200 block of Okanagan Street where the suspect attempted to light two cars on fire and fled the area.

“It was the quick thinking of a local resident who observed a suspicious person in the area and was able to provide a detailed description of the suspect and vehicle details,” said RCMP spokesperson Const. Kelly Brett. “Officers quickly attended to the area and were able to locate and arrest the suspect thanks to the keen eye-witness observations made.”

Between March 8 and March 12, six suspicious fires were reported in the Armstrong area with varying levels of damage. No one was injured as a result of any of the fires.

“The Vernon-North Okanagan RCMP major crime unit and the Forensic Identification Section are currently engaged in all six investigations,” said Brett. “Although an arrest has been made, the investigation is in the early stages. The fires are believed to be incendiary in nature and are therefore being treated as arson.”

A 60 year old Armstrong woman remains in custody and is facing possible charges of arson in relation to the recent fires.

If you have any information about any of these fires and have not yet spoken to police, please contact the Armstrong RCMP at 250-546-3028. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or leave a tip online at www.nokscrimestoppers.com. You do not have to reveal your identity to Crime Stoppers. If you provide information that leads to an arrest, you could be eligible for a cash reward.